If you've been disappointed with traditional piano methods you're not alone. Here's why I believe the traditional methods of the past no longer fit today's amateur pianists.
The piano is hundreds of years old but that doesn't mean we learn the same way (or the same style) we did 300 years ago!
If you've ever felt disappointed with traditional lessons, or felt that learning the traditional method wasn't for you, then you are not alone!
I've had my share of controversy over this topic, but I stand firm in my experience – traditional methods of piano learning should be left in the past.
When the piano was first invented, piano playing was used for completely different purposes - there was no Netflix, no TV, not even radio - family & friends would all gather around a piano for their evenings entertainment!
Now, the piano isn't used for a gathering–for most pianists today it's for our own pleasure, a hobby or passion. So we want to play the way WE want to play, not in the style of the 1700s!
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It teaches technicality over creativity -
Technique is important, but it’s not the reason anyone wants to play piano these days. Who dreams of having perfect technique as a pianist? Who dreams of playing freely, naturally, by ear, by rote, improvising, composing, performing & creating?! While technique is important it doesn’t inspire the mind and if that becomes the only focus, then students won’t be motivated to continue.
It's obsessed with exams -
I’ve heard that in the US piano exams aren’t pushed as much, but outside of the US piano exams are the alpha & omega of traditional piano learning. What grade are you? Which of x3 choices of pieces did you choose? Can you play your scales perfectly? Much like some traditional school systems, it tests you on your ability to follow instructions not your ability to understand, interpret and elaborate.
All the best composers have lived & died -
Often fixated on classical repertoire, traditional piano lessons are about playing pieces that are hundreds of years old and playing them in the way the composer wanted. There’s not a lot of room for your own creativity, and certainly not your own compositions.
Reading over listening -
Traditional piano lessons have extreme emphasis on learning to read sheet music - while this is a great skill to learn, one that I’ve learned and one that I recommend learning - it’s not all there is to it. Some students can become proficient readers, but totally useless when it comes to playing by ear or audiating (singing what you hear). As children we learn to understand what we hear, then we speak, then we read & write. Music should be in the same order.
With all of this the main problem is that piano students learn how to be cookie-cutter classical pianists that are trained to play correctly & classically in a concert hall – that’s fine if you want to be that kind of pianist. But the problem is that most people don’t know they have a choice of the kind of pianist they want to be. If you want to be a creative pianist, then you need to learn piano creatively! Learn how music works so that you can learn the rules and break them!
Learn how to express, to elaborate, to indulge and yes.. to train - because any skill requires repetition of exercises, memorisation of concepts, but learning piano creatively is about the whole picture - about becoming a MUSICIAN not just a piano player.
Become the creative pianist you’ve always wanted to be!
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